Regulator for incubators



May 11 1926.

7 F. S. MQKIBBEN REGULATOR FOR INCUBATORS Filed 0' 21 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11 1926.

F. S. M KIBBEN REGULATOR FOR INCUBATORS ile Oc 21 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 11, .1926. p

UNITED STATES rnanx s. ucxmnmv, or enannnv, mssouiu.

I REGULATOR FOB INCUBATOBS.

Application filed October 21, 1925. serial No. 63,875.

A previous application, Serial Number, 27870, May 4, 1925, was made but it did not include certain details. of the invention which were then not deemed of sufiicient importance. That application is now abandoned so that these minor features may be.

included with the more important features in one and the same application. At present the usual regulator has no control overthe l lam and its value depends much upon the ability of the user to guess. at conditions within the incubator and thefuturetemp'erature of the room. The result is temperature varying within wide limits and frequent overheating of the eggs bringing weakness or death .to the chicks. The plan is also wasteful of the oil becausethere mustalways be suflicient flame to maintain the normal temperature when the room is cool and, when it is not needed, the surplus heat is turned away from the eggs out into the room.

My invention acts directly upon the lamp so as to producethe amount of heat needed at the moment, sometimes varying veryv quired from operators of present day incubators and removes most of the causes of their anxiety. My device may be used in connection with either the water or air plan of heating but the drawings show and. the description refers to the former only.

The following descri tion and accom.-'

panying drawings 'constltute the specifications of the invention; Figure 1 is a-front elevation showing the entire device with some connected parts. Figure 2 is a section on the line a 0 Figure 1. Figure-3 is a partial side elevation showing the wick tube, sleeve and hanger. In Figure 1 and Figure 3, the sleeve and hanger are shown lifted above their normal position the better to show the parts. Figure 4 is a plan or top view of the burner ca with the hanger in place. Figure 5 is a p an or top view of the air deflector.

The lamp flue occupies the central space in the boiler or heater, as is common, but there is no cap nor dam The flue extends on y a short distance below the boiler and fits snugly upon the lamp humor. The lowerback part of it is shown several ways but, judging by ex er suspended over it.

PATEN-T' OFFICE.

at 1, Figure '1 the other portion being-re moved to show the working parts within. It 1s very necessary that the lamp be held always in the same position and not turned around. The bracket or other support for the lamp should be one that willnot tilt I the lamp nor allow it to sag or -dro away from the flue. Thelamp is of the ordinary flat wick sort but I .preferhaving the upper at an corners of the wick tube, 2, cut. oil? angleof forty-five degrees and to the depth of one eighth of an inch. This makes a wider flame when the sleeve 3 is down so as to throw the heat more directly'against the flue thereby heating the water more quickly and limiting the range between the high and 1 low temperatures with the least possible movement of the sleeve. This is a factor of some importance for the successful operation of the device. The sleeve 3, fits around the i wick tube 2 loosely enough that itcan easily slideup and down. 'It excludes air extinguishing the flame as it rises and vice versa. Its upper corners are cut to correspond with the wick tube. The sleeve should be of the same length as is the wick tube above the enough that it will not admit air at its bottom when it is raised about three eighths of an inch which is the distance it rises to reduce a full flame to the smallest. It must be .one inch or more long. It passes through the perforated disc 5 if one be used, which forms the floor of the burner but does not touch it, the central opening in the disc being made large for the purpose. A hanger,.' 6,

'dome' shaped piece 4 of the burner and long for the support and control of the sleeve has a loop at its upperend to slip over a hook on theend of an actuating lever, 7. The

hanger is represented as being made of wire but may be-inade of sheet metal cut to suitas ble shape. The lower. end of the hanger, 6, may be connected to the. sleeve,

rience, I prefer brazing. In Flgure l'an Figure 3, the hanger, 6, and the sleeve, 3, are shown 3,.in one of in proper position for brazing. The ban r,

6,. passes up through the flue and throng a notch or recess cut-in the burner cap, 8, beside the flame slot as shown in Figure, 4. In Figure, 1, the ca is shown in section the better to show 0t er parts. The. recess virtually flame to rise to a long high point which smokes readily when the flame is made large enlarges the flame slot and thereby retards the air draft through it. It causes the.

by the lowering of the sleeve to maintain the proper temperature in a cold room. To

correct this I attach an air deflector, 9, to the hanger, 6, so that it will be just above the cap,8, when the hanger and sleeve are down. It is cut from'sheetmetal as shown in Fi ure, 5, and is brazed to the hanger whic passes through a hole cut near one edge. When the sleeve,'3, is-up, the deflector, 9, is also up but is not then needed because the flame is small but, when the sleeve is down, the flame is large and the deflector then throws a strong draft against the flame so that the long smoky point disap ears. A very large flame without smoke is t us available in a cold room. A thermostat, 10, is supported by a stirrup or bracket from the top of the e g' chamber and preferably near its center. i ump rod or needle, 11, passes up from the t ermos'tat through the top of the case, 12, ending in a socket in the end of an adjusting screw, 13. This screw 1s placed in a lon lever, 14, which is fulcrumed to the left of its middle and to the left of the screw but near it at 15. The right hand or longer arm of this lever extends nearly .to the lamp flue. On the end of this longer arm is fulcrumed the shorter or secondary lever, 7, at 16. This fulcrum may be made in several ways. I like the 'form shown in Figures 1 and 2. A sort of saddle, 17, is cut from sheet metal and soldered to the upper side of the lever, 7. Its sides are bent down and pivoted in a we to avoid friction to a similar piece, 18, sol ered to the lever,-

= 14. The short lever, 7, is'preferably made of wire. Its lon er arm extends to a point over the center of the flue and at its end is formed into a hook to receive the loop on the upper end of the hanger, 6. The left hand and somewhat shorter arm of the secondary lever, 7, is bent downward and then wound loose- --ly'once around the lever, 14, so as to form the downward movement one coil of a helix. The highest part of the helix comes in contact with the upper side of the primary lever, 14, to limit the upward movement of the sleeve and therefore is the upper helical stop, 19. .In like manner the lowest part of the helix is the lower helical stop, 20, because it contacts with the under side of the primary lever, 14, and checks of the sleeve, 3, makin it coincide with that of the lever, 14, till fu ly stopped by contact of the latter with the bottom stop, 21. The helix is onl for forming the stops, 19 and 20, and hol ing them 1n place. The lever, 7, may be cutin suitable form from sheet metal and the stops may then-be bent-to ut them in proper position for contacting with thedever,

' 14, without the-use of a helix. The bottom stop, 21, ,is a simple piece of metal secured -when .the thermostat is too 'A. bridle,

to the case, 12', on which the lever,'14, rests cold to support 22, is connected at its upper ends will be very desirable. A

end to the secondary lever, 7, one tenth or one eighth as far to the left'of its fulcrum as is the hook in the op osite direction. This connection may be ma e by means of a part, 23, of the fulcrum saddle, 17. At its lower end the bridle, 22, is held in place by a hook, 24, under which it hangs. may be cut from the central portion of the bottom stop, 21, and bent over as shown in Figures 1 and 2. These connections should be loose enough to avoid friction. The bridle, 22, may be made of wire or cut from sheet metal and knife edge beari s at both alancing Wei ht, 25, is so placed on the left hand arm of t e primary lever, 14, that it will almost but not quite balance the oppositearm and all it carries leaving only enough unbalanced weight to cause the sleeve, 3, to descend promptly when the thermostat contracts only a very littleq-under a lowering temperature. Without the weight a much stronger thermostat would be necessary.

Several other adjustments must be made. When the lower helical stop,.20, is in contact with the primary lever, 14, and the latter rests on the bottom stop, 21, the hook on lever, 7, must be at the proper height to hold the sleeve, 3, just clear of the dome shaped base, 4, of the burner or barely touching it. To so adjust it, the stop, 20, shouldbe held against the lever, 14, and the latter upon the stop, 21, without sprin ing it and while so held, the lever, 7, may e bent'till. the hook is in the fproper position. When the lever,- 14, rises rom the stop, 21, under the influence of the thermostat, 10, the hook on the lever, 7, which supports the sleeve, 3, rises slowly as if forme fixedly on lever, 14. But, as soon as the connections of the bridle, 22, become tightened at about the temperature of 102 degrees, it prevents further rise of nected at 23. For this purpose the lower connection of the bridle may be adjusted at The hook, 2 4,

' that part of the lever, 7, to which it is conthe same time when the height of the hook on lever, 7, is adjusted as above described. While the parts are held as mentioned, the hook, 24, under which the lower end of the bridle, 22, hangs, may be bent u or down till the bridle is tight but not tig 'ht enou h to draw the stop, 20, out of contact with t e lever, 14.- After the tightening of the bridle connections, the sleeve, 3, is made to rise more rapidly, by the action of lever, 7, till the up or helical stop, 19, comes down and meetsward movement of both the levers and the sleeve. This rising of'the sleeve reduces the largest flame the lamp can produce to the smallest that'can burnwithout going out.

e lever, 14, thereby stopping the upcontact of stop and lover, the stop should be;

bent over further away from the fulcrum, 16, but if the contact occur first, the stop {llStlIlg screw,

' normal degree.

This will lower the sleeve,

' and raise the temperature.- But if a pilot nients have been made,-

-' degree for w ichthe screw has been set pro- ,vided the flame itself shall have been measflame' be perature not made till after the roper temshall have been reach then turn to the right. After'these adjustthe unassisted regulator will always make a pilot flame'whenever the tem rat-ure shall have reached the the screw 'j uredlorthedaily pilot flame shall have been need to change any described.

made by theuser which will be presently JAll'the adjustments so far described should ,becarefully made at the factory.

and user will have no -nat1on of a w1ck tube, 2, a sleeve, 3, sliding The ultimate owner of them and will not need toiknow anything about them. He will not. need a thermometer unless to satisfy his curiosity. The only ad the user'fwill need to 'ustment with which concerned is the making of'a daily pilot flame each time the lamp s replace after bein refilled andcleaned. In other words, ma ing the daily pilot flame the measuring of the size offactory.' The incubator should the flame that will, in case of need, be available for the use of the regulator the following twenty-four hours. The daily pilot flame must be-made in a way that is somewhat similar to some adjustments already described to'be'made but once and at the.

be warm but not necessarily atthen'ormal degree. With rightthumb and finger on the .wick wheel, placea left finger under the end of the primary lever, 14, and lift itslowl'y till the upper helical stop, 19, contacts with the lever, watchingt e flame, meanwhile, and turning it higher if need be to prevent extinguishment. Since a small flame becomes "smaller as the burner cools, the levers should be held in this their highest position; for a minute or two. Then the wick should be carefully ,turned up or ,down to produce the smallest flame that can burn without going out. Then the levers are to be lowered as far as they will go. The flame will immediately come'under complete control of the thermostat.

. In further ex lanation of this device, I will add that tie pilot flame produces so little heat that it can .not be measured by a thermometer in the egg chamber, therefore,

mass in saidcap.

under all ordinary circumstances the temperature'bcgins falling soon after the pilot flame is made. \Vhen the temperature falls about one fourth'of 'a degree the sleeve begins to descend and the flame begins to grow. By the time the temperature reaches duce enough heat'to maintain the normal temperature. o I claim'as newthe following;-

1. In an incubator regulator, the combi I nation ofa wick tube, 2, a sleeve, 3, sliding thereon, an actuatingfllever, 7, a hanger, 6,

connecting said sleeve to said lever and a burner cap, 8, having a recess beside the flame slot for the freemovement of said h anger,- whereby a movement, approximately frictionless and of suitable extent and 00 rapidity, is obtained for said sleeve from a. lever mechanism located above said cap. 2. In an incubator regulatoiythe combimovement, approximately frictionlessand of suitable extent and rapidity is obtained for said seeve from a lever mechanism located above said ca and without the smokiness that would ot ierwise be caused by the rev H 3. In an incubatorregulator, the combinat1on of a thermostat, "10, a primary lever, 14, fulcrumed at .15,,near said thermostat and actuated by it, a secondary; lever, 7, fulcrumed at 16 on end of primary lever, 14,

and actuated by it, a wick tube, 2, a sleeve, 3,.sl1d1ng thereon, a hanger, 6, supported and actuated by the end of said' secondary lever andsupporting said sleeve, a stop, 20, on

said secondary lever to support said sleeve 115.

by itsc'ontact with said primary-lever and a 'fixedstop, '21, on'which s'aid lever, 14,

may rest; the purpose .of the combination being to provide an approximately friction- I less movement'for said sleeve and hold it in suspension in its lowest osition when said thermostat is too cold to 0 so.

4. In an incubator regulator, the combination of a thermostat, 10, a primary. lever, 14, actuated by said thermostat, and fulcrumed near it at 15, a secondary lever, 7, fulcrumed at. 16,. on end of primary-lever, 14, a hanger,

6,. supported and actuated by the end of secondary lever, 7, awick tube, 2, a sleeve, 3, thereon, supported by said hanger, a bridle,

22, connected at its lower end to a fixed object, 24, and at its upper end to said secondary lever, 7, near its fulcrum, l6, at'23, opposite to said hanger, the purpose -of -the combination being to provide a frictionless movement for said sleeve with suflicient rapidity and extent to reduce the flame from the largest size to the smallest by such expansion of the thermostat as is caused by a rise in temperature of about one degree.

and vice versa. A

' 5. In an incubator regulator, the combinafulcrumed at 16, on the end of lever 14,

stop, 19, on end of secondary lever, 7, contacting with lever, 14, to prevent further movement of-both levers, the purpose of the combination being to rovide a frictionless movement for said s eeve -withf'suflicient, v rapidity and extent to reduce the flame from the largest size to the smallest by such expansion of the thermostat as is'caused by a rise in temperature of about one degree without extinguishment.-

6. In anincubator regulator, the combination of a thermostat, 10, a primary lever, 14,

at 16, on the end of said actuated by said thermostat and fulcrumed near it at 15, a secondary-lever, 7, fulcrumed primary lever, 14, supported and actuated by end a hanger, (5,

lever, 7, a wick tube 2, a sleeve,

of secondary 3, thereon, supported by said han er, a

bridle, 22, connected at its lower en to a fixed object, 24, and at its upper end to said secondary lever near its fulcrum, 16,

I and opposite to said hanger, a stop, 19,

" ing screw, 13, in said lever on end of secondary lever, 7, and an adjust- 14, and bearing on said thermostat, the purpose of the combination being to provide a frictionless a bridle 22, connected.

movement for said'sleeve having suflicient 'rapidity and extent to reduce the flame at said wick tube from, the largest size to the smallest by such expansion of the thermostat as is caused by a rise in temperature of one degree without extinguishment andat any desired degree at which said screw may have been set.

fulcrumedat 16, on said right handend of said primary lever, 14, a bridle, 22, supported by said secondary lever, a hanger, 6, supported at end of secondary lever, a Wick tube, 2, a sleeve, 3, thereon, supported by said hanger, and a balancing weight, 25, on the left hand end of said primary lever, 14, that will almost balance all the Weight on the opposite end of said lever, 14, leaving only enough unbalanced weight to cause the prompt descent of the-sleeve when the thermostat contracts only a very little under a lowering temperatur 8. In an incubator regulator the combination of a thermostat, 10, a primary lever, 14,

actuated by said thermostat and fulcrumed near it at 15-, a secondary lever, 7, fulcrumed on 16, supported and actuated by said primary lever, 14,. a hanger, 6, supported from one 'end of said secondary lever, a wick tube, 2, a sleeve, 3, sliding thereon, and sup ported by said hanger, a bridle, 22, connected at its lower end to a fixed object, 24, and at its upper end to said secondary lever,

'ment of said sleeve by means of a thermostat controlled mechanism, approximately frictionless and located above said burner cap.

FRANK s. McKlBBEN.

7, near its fulcrum but opposite to said 

